Mount Vernon warns residents about fraudulent planning emails; directs victims to IC3
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Summary
City staff warned of scam emails impersonating the planning and zoning commission and advised residents not to respond, to report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov, and to watch an MVPD video on identity-theft prevention.
City staff warned residents that fraudulent emails circulated last month using the city logo and references to real projects to appear legitimate. The update said the emails were not from the Planning and Zoning Commission and urged recipients not to respond.
Staff advised anyone who believes they received the fraudulent message to report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. The city listed common red flags such as unofficial domains, slightly altered web addresses, unsolicited links or attachments, and requests for payment or personal information.
Staff also suggested residents watch a video produced by the Mount Vernon Police Department on how to prevent identity theft; the transcript noted the video link is available in the update's description. The update did not identify affected residents, provide sample scam messages, or offer specific remediation services beyond the IC3 reporting recommendation.